Double agents

The friendship forged between Henrik Larsson and Chris Sutton off the pitch has assisted their understanding on it

When Henrik Larsson and Chris Sutton both scored in a 2-1 win over Dundee United at Tannadice on their debut together in July 2000, Scottish defenders knew trouble was in store but maybe didn’t appreciate just how much. Despite being occasionally broken by Sutton’s injuries or versatility and the persistent scoring of John Hartson, the partnership has grown since to become the natural successor to the Ally McCoist/Mark Hateley axis over at Ibrox in the early 1990s. The on-field telepathy fostered by an off-field friendship. With neat symmetry, their last League match together was another 2-1 win over United last Sunday, although this one was at Celtic Park and Larsson scored twice before sobbing with uncharacteristic emotion through his post-match interviews.

Sutton looked no more lugubrious than normal, though, as he discussed his friend’s impending departure last week. Yesterday’s Scottish Cup final victory over Dunfermline marked their last competitive match